Compressing Audit Timelines.
Through Integrated Controls and Digital Documentation
The Challenge:
Extended audit cycles and poor documentation
This growing manufacturing business faced prolonged annual audits, previously stretching beyond three months.
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With decentralised documentation, incomplete working papers, and unclear reconciliations, the finance team struggled to satisfy auditor requirements efficiently.
This delayed financial reporting and disrupted leadership decision-making.
The Approach:
Embedding digital records and system-based controls
I led an overhaul of the business’s internal financial controls and digital documentation strategy.
I began by restructuring Sage 200 to enable cleaner chart of accounts and better nominal coding, linking accounts directly to reconciled data sources.
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I then introduced a culture of control ownership across departments by training non-finance teams to upload supporting documents directly into transaction records, enabling audit trails at every touchpoint.
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Key controls included:
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Automated invoice processing using AI tools with document capture linked to each transaction.
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Departmental workflows requiring upload of quote requests, sales orders, delivery notes, and test certificates at each stage of the supply chain.
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Introduction of a document portal for real-time cross-referencing during audits.
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Balance sheet reconciliations automated with built-in audit checklists and sign-offs.
The Result:
Audit time reduced from 3 months to 2 weeks
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Annual audit cycle compressed from over three months to just two weeks.
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Improved auditor satisfaction and trust, reducing queries and back-and-forth requests.
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Enhanced leadership confidence in reporting accuracy and regulatory compliance.